EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Now or never for green revolution 

The UK must commercialise more of its green technology at home if the country is going to make the most of a once-in-a-generation opportunity. PP Control & Automation’s CEO Tony Hague made the rallying call ahead of the recent National Manufacturing Day and is urging UK manufacturers to prioritise green innovations as the world moves toward net-zero targets. Hague believes the UK has an unrivalled academic base and a clean frontrunner position when it comes to wind power and electrification. The country must now focus on commercialising the technology on these shores, helping to create up to 60,000 new jobs.

More information www.ppcanda.com

Star announces UK open house

Star Micronics GB, a provider of sliding-head lathes, will host its annual open house on 19-21 November 2024 at its Technology Centre in Derby. The event will feature live demonstrations of the latest production technologies from Star and its partners, with the spotlight shining on the UK premiere of the company’s new SB-20RII sliding-head lathe.

The SB-20RII offers various performance, versatility and ergonomic enhancements. These include additional tool stations, increased power, higher spindle speeds, advanced control features and improved accuracy. Despite its added capabilities, such as the ability to process components up to 25.4 mm in diameter, the SB-20RII has a 10% smaller footprint than the best-selling SB-20R Type G.

More information www.stargb.com/open

Productive Machines partners MachineWorks

Productive Machines, a software company enabling the machining industry to reach the
best part faster and first time, and MachineWorks, a company specialising in CNC simulation
and verification, are commencing a strategic partnership aimed at transforming CAM
software with the SenseNC suite of products. According to Productive Machines, the
collaboration introduces efficiency in machining processes while opening new revenue
streams for CAM software companies. SenseNC products allow optimisation of machining
processes by automatically adjusting spindle speed and feed rates across tool paths.
More information www.productivemachines.co.uk

JLR invests £500m

JLR is investing £500m investment to transform its historic Halewood facility and support
the parallel production of electric vehicles (EVs) alongside existing combustion and hybrid
models. Originally built in 1963 to produce the Ford Anglia, Halewood is being transformed
for the electric era. The historic plant has been fitted with technology that includes new EV

build lines, 750 autonomous robots, ADAS calibration rigs, laser alignment technology for
perfect part fitment and the latest cloud-based digital plant management systems to create
the ‘factory of the future’.
More information www.jaguarlandrover.com

Award for industry-academia research

The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Boeing
have won the 2024 Bhattacharyya Award, an honour backed by the UK Government that
celebrates the most impactful collaborations between academia and industry. More than 23
years after their initial partnership, the AMRC and Boeing have trained over 2000
apprentices, created 2500 jobs and delivered £350m of inward investment. In 2018, the
AMRC site in Rotherham also welcomed Boeing as a neighbour – the aerospace giant’s first
European manufacturing facility.
More information www.amrc.co.uk